Although everyone fears social isolation, this phenomenon is more common in lower socio-economic classes than in middle or upper classes. “The differences do not result from financial status but rather from the social skills acquired by middle-class people that allow them to more easily develop and maintain friendships” (Sullivan). In the United States, there are more than 16,000 nursing homes for the elderly. Many residents are very ill and require constant monitoring, which is the primary reason their family members must “enroll” them into a nursing home program. The problem is not being in a nursing home, but the isolation and abandonment of the family. Our society is changing so quickly that we don't know what the future will look like in six months, let alone in 20-30